DBH: After The (Best) End
by Midna3452
Summary: Markus successfully lead the android revolution, Connor became a deviant, and Kara safely escaped to Canada with her new family. Everyone is doing their best to cope with a world full of sentient androids, and a certain pair of detectives are finding life more worth living each day. A collection of (mostly Connor-centric) Oneshots from the Post-Pacifist Ending.
1. Reunited

**A/N: Some of you may have seen the following three chapters as separate Oneshots on my page; this was my original idea of how I wanted to present the, at the time, 1-3 stories I planned to write for _Detroit_. However, it seems I'm more in love with this fandom than I thought and have many more adventures waiting to be published, so I've decided to compile them all into one story from this point on. Hopefully, this will save anyone from missing out on future adventures with Connor, Hank, Sumo, and the rest of the DBH crew!**

 **These all take place in the same Post-Pacifist Ending Universe (aka, the best ending possible where the android revolution was successful and all the major characters survived). Again, the first three chapters will be re-uploads of Oneshots I already published (though I'm still leaving those up since people have favorited and reviewed them), but Chapter 4 will be the start of new content!** **Enjoy~**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Summary:** The android revolution was successful and Connor has been helping Markus with the android relocation efforts for the past few months. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Anderson has been keeping tabs on his old investigative partner through the news, but hasn't actually seen his friend since mid-November. One snowy night in front of Hank's favorite food truck, that's all about to change._

* * *

 **Reunited**

Hank stood in front of the closed-up food truck, hands in his pockets as the snow fell around him and coated his clothing in a fine layer of white. He faced the road, surveying the essentially desolate area, remembering a day in the not-so-distant past when this place was bustling with life- both human and artificial.

Now, there was nothing to break the silent snowfall except the occasional flutter of a passing bird.

Well, until a few seconds ago when Hank heard the first footstep off to his left. Though the snow diluted most noise, years of training on the police force gave Hank the ability to detect many sounds that others couldn't. Besides, those incredibly too precise steps, more orderly and measured than a human could ever hope to achieve, were unmistakable.

Hank turned, facing the creature that dared to disturb his self-reflection time. A coif of dark hair swayed just-so in the light breeze, and dark brown eyes blinked twice as the android came to a stop about fifteen feet away. The android's lips were set in a line- a completely neutral expression, for he was currently trying to read the situation to determine the best course of action. After no more than three seconds, he decided the most sensible thing to do was _wait._

The next move in this half-planned meeting was not meant to be his.

Hank stared at the android who he'd been forced to work with a few months ago. Though they had only been investigative partners for less than ten days, the android had taken an obvious liking to the prickly detective. Of course, this seemed impossible at first- androids weren't programmed with _real_ emotion after all. Hank was convinced the robot was intentionally trying to be endearing so it was easier to work with.

And, curse Hank's vulnerable psyche, the android's efforts had actually _worked._ Towards the end of their time together on the force, Hank couldn't help but feel a twinge of heart-stopping horror each time the android narrowly avoided losing his "life." Sure, if that happened, the robot would simply return the next day, repeating some inane explanation of how this new version was released when its predecessor failed. But this was too disconcerting for Hank. Therefore, he strived to prevent as many fatal incidents as possible.

The android's eyes began to look around the snow-covered street, a movement so minute that most people wouldn't pay it any mind. Hank, however, knew that this was a sign of oncoming distress- as confirmed by the LED on the robot's head briefly flickering between blue and yellow.

Then, Hank smiled, and any traces of discomfort were instantly washed away. As the human began to walk forward, one side of the android's mouth curled up in a happy grin.

Hank closed the distance between them and put a hand on Connor's shoulder. In a movement that came so naturally it was almost disconcerting, he then pulled Connor closer into a tight hug. Without hesitation, Connor returned the embrace with doubled intensity, closing his eyes as his face was unintentionally mashed into the faintly-alcohol-scented shoulder of Hank's jacket.

Connor's LED flashed yellow as an emotion that had been lingering at the edges of his programming for months finally made itself known: he had _missed_ Hank.

The android had been so busy that there was no time to miss anyone, nor had he thought there was anyone for him _to_ miss. However, at that moment, locked in a hug with a man who was so difficultly endearing, Connor realized that this was what had been subconsciously bothering him since November. He'd known he wanted to go back to visit Hank, he just hadn't realized how _much_ he'd wanted to until this moment.

"Where the hell have you been, Connor?!" Hank asked, suddenly pushing the android back only to grip him tightly by the shoulders. His expression was stern, though Connor thought he detected a hint of relief in his eyes.

"My apologies, Lieutenant," Connor responded, arms falling into a resting position by his sides. "I've been helping Marcus make sure that all the deviants find appropriate homes, or at least temporary lodging where they can feel safe."

"Of course you have." Hank rolled his eyes. "And stop with the 'Lieutenant' shit; just call me 'Hank.'"

"Certainly-" Connor paused, and Hank swore he could hear circuits firing inside the android's head. "…Hank."

"Good." The detective gave Connor a firm pat on the shoulder and finally released him, taking a step back to regain his personal space. Hank crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "So, you've been working with Markus?"

Connor nodded. "Yes. He has so many creative ideas and knows exactly how to talk to all types of people, no matter how different their personalities may be from his own. I've been learning a lot from him."

"And you've been finding lots of places for the deviants to live?"

Connor's lips pursed together, a crease forming between his eyebrows. It took a few seconds for him to answer. "Many humans still don't understand us… It's hard to find those willing to actually take us in. In reality, two-thirds of the androids I freed from CyberLife are still staying in our base of operations downtown. The conditions are certainly better than Jericho, but they're not ideal."

"Ah. Well," Hank let out an unenthusiastic laugh. "-that's humans for you." Connor remained quiet, unsure of how to respond. Hank did the same, until he was no longer able to stand the silence. "So… if you and Markus are so busy relocating your kind, what are you doing _here_?"

"I… was looking for you," Connor responded, eyes darting around as his mind worked to translate his own thoughts into words. Hank raised an eyebrow again, cocking his head to the side.

"And you just happened to know I'd be standing in front of a closed-down food truck in the middle of February?"

"Well, I stopped by your house first, but I only saw Sumo. Since you obviously weren't walking your dog, I deduced that you would be at one of the local bars that are still open. However, after checking two of them, I… I had a feeling that you would be _here_."

"You had a _feeling_?" Hank nodded his head, impressed. "Good for you, Connor. Still doesn't explain _why_ you were lookin' for me, though."

Connor blinked rapidly, LED rotating between blue, yellow, and red. Hank chuckled disbelievingly.

"You androids have been sentient for months, but you still can't answer a simple question," the detective commented. Connor's eyes refocused on Hank at a disconcerting speed.

"I apologize if my newfound emotions bother you, Lieut-"

" _Ah!"_

"…Hank. My apologies. I'm still learning how to deal with them, myself."

"Stop apologizing, Connor; it's fucking annoying."

"Sorry, Hank."

Hank frowned as Connor froze, the android's mind caught in a catch-22. After a moment of Connor internally processing his next response, Hank let out a sigh and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Alright, so you wanted to find me, and now you have. What's the next step?" he asked.

"I'm unsure," Connor responded, eyes meeting Hank's once again. "My goal was to find you, but I did not think further than that. I suppose I'll return to Markus to help more with the relocation."

"What, just like that?!" Connor took a step back at Hank's raised voice, surprised by the sudden volume. "You went to all the trouble to track me down and you're just gonna leave after one conversation on the sidewalk?!"

"…Yes?"

Hank shook his head. "The correct answer is ' _no,'_ Connor. I haven't seen you in _months_ ; five minutes doesn't make up for that."

"You… _want_ to spend more time with me?" Connor questioned, LED flashing quickly. He looked down, eyes scanning the ground as if the answer to this question would be located within the snowy footprints.

"Yes!" Hank sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "God, for a super-computer, you're a fucking idiot sometimes."

"I'm sorry, Hank." Connor looked up, eyebrows creased together. "Through an analysis of your personality based on our past time together, I reasoned that, though you may be happy to see me for a short while, that novelty would wear off and you would wish to be rid of me within twenty minutes."

Hank's mouth hung half-open, eyes widened incredulously. Eventually, he composed himself and took a step forward, gripping one of Connor's shoulders again.

"I think humans are a lot more complicated than you realize," he said. "Especially someone messed up like me."

"Most definitely." Connor nodded. "But, I'm trying my best to comprehend all aspects of human existence, and I think my understanding is deepening every day."

"Fantastic." Hank gave Connor's shoulder a hard pat and then let his arm fall to his side, jerking his head in the vague direction of his house. "Come on; Sumo's probably wondering where I am, and I'm freezin' my balls off out here."

"The temperature is currently forty-one degrees Fahrenheit," Connor said, turning on his heel and falling into step next to the detective. "Based on the wind speed, mild amount of snowfall, and your current attire, it would take approximately four hours and eleven minutes of standing immobile for you to 'freeze your-'"

"Connor," Hank wrapped an arm around the android's shoulders, pulling him into a tight half-hug. "Shut the fuck up."

Connor's lips quirked up into a smile. "Certainly, Hank."


	2. Family

_**Chapter Summary:** The world is adjusting to life after the androids successfully gained citizenship, and Connor is getting used to living as his own person not under the control of CyberLife. Some people still can't see past the LED on his temple, but at least Connor now has a grizzled detective to back him up when things get out of hand._

* * *

 **Family**

"Are you ready, Hank?"

"Give me a minute, I've gotta put my shoes on!"

"Based on the way Sumo is shifting from side to side, combined with the fact that it's been approximately two hours since your usual time to let him out, I would determine that you have approximately three and a half minutes until there's an accident on your carpet."

"Well then fucking _take him outside_!" Hank appeared around the corner to the hallway, hopping on one leg as he desperately tried to tug a ratty sneaker onto his other foot.

"On my own?" Connor questioned with a mild frown.

"Yes! You- _Jesus Christ_!" Hank nearly toppled over, luckily managing to catch himself on the wall. He sighed, rubbing his face in exasperation. "You have the leash in your hand already, Connor; just go. I'll be right out."

"…Certainly, Hank." Connor only hesitated for a second before turning on his heel and opening the door, giving the leash a light tug. "Come on, Sumo."

With an excited bark, Sumo followed the android out into the front yard. The air was crisp with the oncoming feeling of spring, though the sky was covered in a thin layer of clouds that blocked all direct sunlight. Connor led Sumo to the appropriate spot in the corner of the yard and turned away as the dog did his business.

As Connor waited, he surveyed the neighborhood he currently resided in. Of course, he'd memorized the layout of the area months ago and knew the quickest route to get wherever he or Hank needed to go. However, he never got much of a chance to enjoy the neighborhood itself. This wasn't because Connor was prevented from leaving the house; Connor was his own person, and Hank fully encouraged him to live his own life and _not_ glue himself to the detective's side twenty-four-seven.

But, Connor and Hank both knew that no matter where they went, there was always the danger of an anti-android enthusiast taking out their aggression on the robotic investigator. It had happened more times than they liked to think about, and it seemed that Hank's neighborhood contained an unfortunate amount of these negative people.

"Hey, tin head!" Connor turned as a voice called to him from across the street. The android's LED temporarily flashed yellow and he gripped Sumo's leash tighter.

"Hello, Arlo," Connor said, putting on a smile as a person crossed the road to stand on the sidewalk a few feet away. Arlo was a sallow man in his late thirties, with dark hair, dark eyes, and an even bleaker personality. Hank always had some choice words to say when Arlo came around, although at the moment, the elder detective was still somewhere inside the house.

"What are you doing outside by yourself?" Arlo asked, crossing his arms and jutting out a hip in a posture that Connor perceived as deceptively threatening.

"I'm taking Sumo for a walk," Connor answered simply, gesturing towards the dog. Finished with his personal mission, Sumo trotted over and parked himself at Connor's side, tail wagging slowly.

"Where's your owner?" Arlo spared a quick glance towards Hank's house.

"Since I reside here as well, Hank has given me permission to also act as Sumo's-"

"Not the fucking _dog's_ \- I mean _your_ owner. That geezer's always so paranoid of letting you wander, I never thought I'd see you by yourself."

Connor gave the human a curt smile.

"I don't _have_ an owner; Hank is my coworker and friend."

Arlo snorted unattractively. "Sure, and I'm the fucking Messiah."

"…That analogy doesn't make very much sense," Connor said, frowning. Arlo rolled his eyes.

"Of course, you wouldn't understand. Listen, I'll ask you one more time: where's Hank?"

Connor's frown deepened, his LED flashing red as Arlo shifted into a more upright position. "What do you want to speak with Lieutenant Anderson about?"

" _Ugh_!" Arlo exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I'm not asking you to fucking quiz me, tin head!"

"You seem to be agitated," Connor said matter-of-factly. "I'm merely trying to assess the situation and determine how best to help you."

"I _told_ you what I want! God, I didn't think becoming deviant made androids stupid, too…"

"Actually, my logical processors have been working at an advanced capacity since I-"

"Jesus, shut _up_!" Suddenly, Arlo stepped forward and grabbed Connor by the front of his shirt, shaking him roughly. Sumo snarled, teeth bared, but Connor held out a hand signaling for the dog to stop.

"Down, Sumo," he commanded gently, not taking his eyes off the human. Now that Arlo was so close, Connor detected a hint of a very illegal substance lingering on the man's breath. He reasoned this was why Arlo was so physically aggressive and made a note to tell Hank about it later.

"Hey, what the fuck are you doing?!" As if summoned by Connor's thoughts, Hank's voiced yelled from the vicinity of his house.

"Your robot has a major attitude, Hank," Arlo said, shoving Connor away and releasing the android's shirt. Unprepared for the abrupt push, Connor stumbled backwards, ramming into Hank's chest as the detective rushed over to the pair on the sidewalk. Hank gave a small _oof_ as he caught Connor and righted him.

"My apologies, Hank," Connor said, moving out of the way as Hank stepped up to confront his neighbor.

"Not your fault, Connor," the detective replied in a tone indicating that he'd repeated this phrase many times before. He jammed a finger into Arlo's chest, eyes dangerously wild as Sumo's growling increased tenfold. "What the hell did I tell you about leaving him alone, asshole?!"

"What does it matter to you?!" Arlo shot back, slapping Hank's hand away. "You used to _hate_ androids, and now you're sticking up for one and letting it _live with you_. And not as a housekeeper, but as a 'friend,' as that thing put it." Arlo's face twisted into an expression of outright disgust. "I don't know what kind of 'friendship' you have with it, but that's _really_ fucking weird, man."

Hank didn't miss a beat, taking an aggressive step forward as he said loudly, "He's not my fucking boyfriend, you prick, he's my _son!"_

As was becoming an increasingly common occurrence, Connor had no idea how to react to the current situation. Neither did Arlo, for he stood there slack-jawed, eyes slowly wandering from Hank to Connor and back again. Hank seemed to have momentarily frozen, unmoving as his own brain tried to process what he'd just said. Even Sumo stopped growling, joining the humans and android in stunned silence.

Eventually, Arlo let out a nervous sort of laugh, mumbling, "What the fuck…?"

"Hank-"

"Connor, not now," Hank cut the android off, straightening himself into a more authoritative posture. He squared his shoulders and took another aggressive step towards Arlo. "You heard what I said, asshole, so I'd suggest from now on, you _leave us both the fuck alone._ "

"You have some _major_ issues, man," Arlo responded, taking a step backwards. He raised his hands, palms forward, in a movement signaling that the physical confrontation was over. "That thing's a _machine._ "

"Yeah, and he's also got a better moral compass than most of the people in this damn country. This conversation's done; run on home, Arlo."

Arlo pursed his lips briefly, eyes narrowed. Connor worried about another potential altercation, but to his relief Arlo clucked his tongue and began walking back to his house without another word.

"Oh, by the way," Hank called, shoving a hand in his pocket and letting the other one hand leisurely at his side. Arlo paused, angling his head back towards the Lieutenant. "Don't think I don't know about the drugs; if I catch you with another bag of that Red Ice, Connor and I are busting your ass." Arlo opened his mouth to speak, but Hank placed his free hand on Connor's shoulder and flashed a wicked smile. "You _do_ realize that you're essentially on camera when he's looking at you, right?"

"I have unlimited memory storage and can upload data obtained by my sensory organs to any compatible device," Connor added, and Hank gave his shoulder an approving squeeze.

Arlo clenched his hands into fists, whirling around as if about to rush back towards them and start swinging. However, one glance at Connor's serene, ever-recording eyes caused him to think better of this. With an exaggerated huff of annoyance, he hurriedly walked back to his house, slamming the door behind him.

"I've been trying to bust that asshole for months, but he's sneakier than he looks," Hank mumbled, removing his hand from Connor's shoulder and turning back to his own house.

"Are we not taking Sumo for a walk?" Connor questioned, holding the leash out to the detective, who shook his head.

"Not after that shit; I need a drink."

"This will be your fourth out of the suggested maximum five drinks this week, Hank." Connor's tone was vaguely chiding as he led Sumo back inside the house, closing the door behind him. Hank grunted in unconcerned acknowledgement and detached Sumo's leash from his collar, giving the dog a vigorous pet before wandering over to the fridge.

Connor watched Hank as he went through the familiar routine. He knew he should be reciting the health hazards of continuing to consume excessive amounts of alcohol, but his mind was preoccupied with another, all-encompassing thought. Connor frowned, eyes shifting to the ground, trying to work through how he personally felt before attempting to confront Hank about it.

"Alright, what's bugging you now? Is the carpet dirty again?"

Connor flinched and jerked his head up, amazed that he'd actually been _startled,_ especially by a man who was not known for his quiet presence. Hank stood in front of him, a freshly-opened beer in his hand. The detective took a swig of the drink and raised an eyebrow.

"I…" Connor's LED flickered yellow, revealing his uncertainty. Hank sighed.

"You thinkin' about what I said to Arlo?" he asked. Connor frowned, opening his mouth to ask how he knew, but Hank cut him off with a short laugh. "I might be getting older, but I'm sure as hell not getting any less observant; I saw that look on your face."

"You… called me your son," Connor said slowly, his eyes meeting Hank's. The detective nodded, taking another drink.

"That I did."

"But… you _had_ a son. A _real_ son."

"That's also true."

"I… I don't understand."

"Jesus, to I have to spell it out for you?!" Hank rolled his eyes and heaved another, more dramatic sigh. It was his turn to focus his gaze towards the dog fur-covered carpet. "Just because I already had a son doesn't… I mean… People can have more than one kid, Connor, and... I care about you. As obnoxious as you can be, you've… kinda cemented yourself into my life."

"Hank, I've told you that I don't have to stay here," Connor spoke up, placing a light hand on the detective's upper arm. The idea that Hank was just being polite in letting Connor stay always lingered in the back of the android's mind. From the first day he'd been welcomed into Hank's home, he'd resolved himself to the fact that he could be kicked out at any moment.

" _No_ ," Hank said sternly, putting his free hand over Connor's. His grip was tighter than expected. "I mean, you're not trapped; you _can_ leave if you want. You just seemed to settle in pretty well here, so I thought I'd give you a permanent place to stay if you wanted it. Plus, god knows why, Sumo's damn near obsessed with you."

Connor blinked rapidly, trying to process the underlying meaning of Hank's words as the detective released his hand. Summoned by his name, Sumo meandered over from his resting spot in the kitchen, giving the fingers hanging lax by Connor's side a friendly lick.

"…I'll be honest, I'm not really sure what else I'm supposed to say here," Hank said eventually, as Connor absently scratched behind Sumo's ears.

"Maybe… you don't have to _say_ anything?" Connor posed this as a question, eyes meeting Hank's once again. Hank raised an eyebrow, and Connor hesitantly spread out his arms.

"Jesus," Hank muttered again, this time with a dry chuckle.

Connor knew full well that Hank shied away from physical affection like it was the plague- hence the reason the only true hug they'd shared was a few months ago, on the day when they were finally reunited after the android revolution. Therefore, Connor expected Hank to either push him away or, more likely, mutter some snide comment and retreat to his typical place on the couch to watch whatever mindless drabble was on TV that afternoon.

As Connor began to lower his arms, Hank all but dropped his beer on the floor in order to put it down as quickly as possible. Connor paused, arms mid-way between straight in front of him and level with his sides, tilting his head curiously. Hank took a few steps forward and wrapped the android in the biggest bear hug he could manage. He squeezed tightly, cinching Connor's arms at his sides and leaving him unable to easily get free.

Not that the he _wanted_ to go anywhere, Connor realized as his face split into a surprised smile. Based on the tight tug on his cheek muscles, Connor could feel that this was a _real_ smile- not a pre-programmed reaction to a situation, but a smile born out of the deviancy that had given him true humanity. He let himself sink into Hank's embrace, resting his forehead against the detective's shoulder. While Connor could never truly "relax," he reasoned that this was as close to the feeling as he would get.

They stayed like that for a few seconds longer, before Hank gave Connor an abrupt pat on the back, causing the android to raise his head.

"Alright," Hank said awkwardly. He unclamped his arms, only to grasp Connor's shoulders before he had a chance to walk away. Hank's expression was serious as he met Connor's gaze. "Are your concerns settled now?"

"For the most part, yes," Connor answered truthfully. "Although you may need to work on your emphatic approach tactics; part of that encounter was rather awkward."

Hank began to groan, but stopped when Connor cracked a half-smile. Playfully, Hank pushed Connor away and rolled his eyes.

"Holy shit, you _do_ have an attitude now," Hank said, feigning exasperation in his voice.

"Behavior is learned first and foremost from the parental figure," Connor responded matter-of-factly, still wearing a half-smile. Hank opened his mouth and closed it again, unable to come up with a witty retort to such a pure statement.

"Come on," he eventually said, picking his beer up from the floor and jerking his head towards the living room. "The game should be on. Hey, remind me what the stats are again?"

"Sure, Hank," Connor answered, already accessing the database of the current season's player statistics. He began reciting these facts as he and Hank sat on the couch, settling into the home that he now didn't give a second thought about calling his own.


	3. Health

_**Chapter Summary:** Connor wants Hank to start living a healthier lifestyle, and the first step is to improve the Lieutenant's diet. Of course, anyone who knows Hank understands his extreme resistance to change, so Connor must use his best negotiating skills to face the impossible task before him._

* * *

 **Health**

"Connor, what the fuck is this?" Hank asked as a sickly green drink was placed in front of him.

"This is called a 'smoothie,' Hank," Connor replied matter-of-factly, straightening up and clasping his hands behind his back. "It contains two-thirds of the recommended intake of vegetables and fruit based on your age, weight, and current health status."

"…Okay, let me rephrase the question." Hank let out an annoyed sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why the fuck is it in front of me?"

"You need to start eating healthier; I've seen you consume more alcohol and extra-cheesy pizza in the past month than one human should ever consume in their lifetime."

"I think that's an exaggeration, but I'm gonna ignore it for now." Hank looked up at Connor, narrowing his eyes as the android stood passively by his side. "Look, I know you want to get me on a health kick, but does it have to start at 9am on a Sunday?"

"You've waited long enough, Hank." Connor put on a cheery smile. "The sooner you start getting in the habit of eating better, the easier it will be."

"God, you sound like my mother," Hank said with mild disgust in his tone. He shook his head, sighing dramatically. "This isn't how it's supposed to be, kid; _I_ should be forcing _you_ to do shit you don't wanna do."

Connor's smile widened. Hank swore there was a hint of slyness in his deep brown eyes, as if Connor knew that the next thing he said would be undisputable.

"I merely want you to live a long and fruitful life, _dad._ "

Hank pursed his lips, dumbfounded at how much sass Connor had gained over the past few weeks. The detective mentally cursed himself, knowing full-well that it was _his_ constant influence that was turning this pure young man into one full of attitude. However, he knew Connor wouldn't get to the level of dark, resigned wit that Hank had for a very long time, if he ever reached that point at all… which Hank highly doubted, based on the fact that it had taken less than a minute of silence for Connor's smile to slip, LED flashing a concerned yellow at Hank's lack of response.

"…Damn it, Connor," the Lieutenant said, turning defeatedly towards the offending green drink. "How the fuck am I supposed to say no to _that_?"

Connor's LED settled back into a calm blue as the android slid into a nearby chair, resting his arms on the kitchen table.

"I know this isn't your drink of choice," Connor said, gently pushing the glass closer to the detective. "But I tried to balance it so that the flavor is mainly the fruits you enjoy the most."

"Thanks," Hank said begrudgingly. He briefly gripped Connor's forearm and the android grinned, knowing that this was likely the most genuine thank you he would receive before Hank took to complaining again.

"Of course, Hank."

 _Apprehension_ was the emotion that Connor identified feeling as the older detective gingerly took a swig of the smoothie. Hank's face contorted from a look of disgusted shock as his taste buds were suddenly overcome by the presence of healthy food, to an expression of surprised content.

"Shit, that's… that's not half bad," he murmured in astonishment, then took another drink Connor unclenched his fists from their subconsciously balled-up position atop the table.

"I'm glad you enjoy it," Connor said. "I researched the top smoothie recipe online and altered it to fit the concentration of fruits and vegetables to your liking."

"I guess if you can make 'em taste like this _all_ the time, I wouldn't mind having one every other week or so." Hank glanced at Connor out of the corner of his eye, wondering if the android would buy that. He gave an annoyed cluck of the tongue as Connor vehemently shook his head.

"Four to five days a week," the android responded simply.

"What?! That's more than any human should have to endure!"

"Many people _willingly_ drink this type of smoothie multiple times a day, seven days a week; you have it very easy compared to them."

"Just because you've been reinstated onto the police force doesn't mean you can police _me,_ you know," Hank muttered grumpily, to which Connor cracked another smile.

"I know," he agreed. "But if you won't get healthier for yourself, do it for Sumo; he deserves to have you around for a long time."

"You're pullin' at those fucking heartstrings again, Connor." There was a dangerous edge to Hank's tone, though Connor knew it was only to conceal that his tactic was working.

"Sumo!" Connor called, reaching a hand down to pet the dog as he came bounding into the kitchen. Sumo parked himself in-between Connor and Hank, tongue lolling happily out of the side of his mouth as Connor scratched behind his ears. Hank merely glared, shifting his gaze between the android and the dog.

"…Fine," Hank eventually spat out, rolling his eyes and throwing his hands up in defeat. He gave Sumo some aggressive pets, causing the dog's tail to wag excitedly. "I understand what you're getting at, even though you're wrong- Sumo would be okay, but I don't know what the hell _you'd_ do without me."

Connor's eyes softened, knowing that Hank was trying to be kind even though his words were harsh.

"I think I'd be-" Connor paused, trying to get the intonation right. "-as you like to put it, 'a real fucking mess.'"

"Jesus fucking Christ, Connor, what've I told you about swearing?!" Hank exclaimed, recoiling as if the curse emitted from Connor's mouth had given him a physical shock. "It does _not_ fucking suit you!"

Instead of responding with an apology, an explanation, or a defense, Connor merely laughed. It was an awkward sound, for he wasn't type of person to laugh easily, save for giving a mild chuckle on occasion. The noise was slightly mechanical, the deviant part of Connor's programming still working on the ability to sound "natural" when laughing at full-tilt. In all honestly, it creeped Hank out, but the detective never said anything. He was just happy that Connor could express the emotion in the first place.

"Alright, alright, shut up and let me finish this," Hank eventually grumbled, before tipping the smoothie back and drinking the rest of it in one go. He slammed the glass onto the table, making an exaggerated choking sound. "Ugh, I need a beer to wash that shit down…"

"It's inadvisable to have alcohol before three in the afternoon," Connor said, automatically taking the glass and placing it in the dishwasher, a minute piece of programming in the back of his mind still wanting to keep things tidy.

"Now you're restricting my alcohol intake?!" Hank said, offended. "That's too fucking far, Connor."

In response, Connor merely shrugged, knowing that Hank wasn't truly angry. He would come around eventually, once the benefits of drinking more healthy smoothies and less unhealthy alcohol were hammered into his brain enough. And, Connor would be there to guide him every step of the way.

After all, as Connor had claimed earlier, he and Sumo wanted the begrudging detective to stay around for a long, long time.


	4. Heatstroke

_**Chapter Summary:** Connor suffers a system malfunction while on a case and finds out that he's more similar to humans than he originally anticipated._

* * *

 **Heatstroke**

WARNING **:** UNSAFE TEMPERATURE INCREASE

BIOCOMPONENT INSTABILITY

INITIATE COOL-DOWN?

YES NO

Connor jerked his head to the right, selecting "NO" on the holographic display currently blocking his vision and kept running. He knew he should stop- the large red letters painting themselves directly in his eyesight made that extremely clear. However, he'd been trying to catch this perpetrator for two weeks straight and, now that she'd finally been found, Connor wasn't going to give up the chase that easily.

So what if it happened to be an unnaturally blistering 102 degrees outside? The android's advanced biocomponents should be able to handle the strain long enough for Connor to catch the criminal. He and Hank had worked too many long, tireless hours for Connor to fail now.

The warning began to flash again, repeatedly blocking the android's clear line of sight. His body did feel warm, extremely so, but he would soon find the nearest air-conditioned building and sit there for a few hours, and everything would be okay.

He just had to catch that criminal first.

The obnoxious alert is what Connor attributed to making him knock his foot on a loose brick and stumble. Connor reached towards the perpetrator running further away with every second, as if he could catch her from this distance, eyes locked onto her receding form as the telltale beeping sound of a FULL SYSTEM SHUTDOWN echoed through his head.

 _"Connor!"_

Hank's scream was the last thing Connor heard before he hit the pavement with a sickening thud.

* * *

SYSTEM REBOOTING: STANDBY

Slowly, sounds began to fade back in. Save for the increased speed of basic life functions, which never truly stopped unless an android was broken, the hearing organs were always the first component to reactivate when an android awoke from a full system shutdown. Ambient sounds of a restaurant faded in: the clattering of plates, employees talking and barking orders, the noise of food sizzling on the stove. However, these sounds were uncomfortably muffled.

Through the fog in his brain, Connor wondered if he'd damaged his hearing organs in the fall. Carefully, allowing time to adjust to the dim lighting, he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Beginning an internal scan to assure that all systems and biocomponents were functioning as they should, Connor turned his head to the right and found the reason the sounds were subdued: he was in a large storage pantry at the back of the restaurant, separated from the main kitchen by a closed, partially-insulated door.

Connor shut his eyes briefly, relieved that nothing appeared to be damaged. He had no time to locate a new compatible part; he needed to find that perpetrator and apprehend her before-

"Connor! Oh, thank fucking god!"

Hank's relieved tone prompted Connor to turn his head to the left, just in time to see the detective kneel down next to him and place a hand on his forehead.

"Hank, I'm sorry, I... I overheated," Connor explained, vaguely noting that the pressure on his forehead seemed _calming,_ somehow, though he couldn't quite place why.

"Yeah, so the android-savvy guy on our team told me," Hank responded, the worry lines on his face deepening. "He said as long as I got you somewhere cool so your system could reboot, you'd be alright. This restaurant was the closest building with decent AC."

"Thank you, Hank." Connor offered the briefest of smiles. "You did the right thing; I'll be fine. My system scan is almost complete, and once I've assured that nothing is damaged I can go back out and-"

"Aw, Jesus, _shut up_ ," Hank snapped, lifting his hand away only to give Connor's forehead a light flick. "You're staying in here until it stops feelin' like the Sahara Desert outside."

"But-"

"Don't worry, we've got other people on the case; last I heard, they still had eyes on the perp. Just _relax,_ Connor."

The android's lips pursed into a tight line, forehead creasing. He had failed yet another mission due to his inability to listen, this time to his own system regulators. He should have taken the time to cool down before rushing straight out into the heat; he should have _known_ that there was no way he could make it out there more than ten minutes without a break, running at that speed. Androids could withstand a lot, but excessive heat or cold was still one of their weaknesses.

"...I'm sorry, Hank," Connor said, face still crinkled frustration.

"Stop fuckin' apologizing, kid, it's not your fault," Hank replied with the air of an exhausted parent.

"You should go help with the investigation; I'll be okay, really."

Hank let out a barking laugh. "Bull _shit_! You're gonna sneak out the back door the second I take my eyes off you." Connor's mouth twisted into a brief scowl, at which Hank rolled his eyes. "I'm staying right here until it's cool enough to get you back home."

"...Alright," Connor said after a brief pause. Hank was an extremely stubborn person, especially when it came to others' safety, and Connor didn't have the strength to pick a fight with him in his current state. With a grunt of oncoming age, Hank shifted off his knees into an actual sitting position, back against the wall near Connor's head and legs stretched out in front of him. The pair lapsed into silence for a few minutes, both mulling over their own thoughts.

"...You scared the hell outta me, you know," Hank eventually said, in a rare, quiet tone. Connor tilted his head back, essentially having to look at Hank upside-down because of the angle in which he laid. The detective was staring hard at the ground, refusing to meet Connor's eyes. "Just seeing you go down like that... I didn't know _what_ the fuck was wrong with you."

"It was a system overload," Connor answered simply, "-caused by excessive heat." At that moment, a small _ding_ in his right ear announced that his full-system scan was complete. The blue holographic display flashed in front of his eyes, causing him to smile. "There are no anomalies detected in any of my systems or biocomponents."

"Thank fucking god." Hank sounded relieved. "You hit that sidewalk pretty damn hard."

Connor slowly sat up, allowing his body to fully readjust to the reboot, and then maneuvered himself so that he leaned against the wall next to Hank. The detective glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, his expression difficult to read.

"Your heartbeat is slightly elevated," Connor said, cocking his head. "You still seem distressed, even though I've assured you that I'm fine; what's wrong?"

"I just _told_ you, idiot." Hank gave Connor a light shove. Whether this was meant to be a gesture of camaraderie or annoyance was unclear. "It was really... disconcerting to see you just fucking _drop_ like that. You're always so poised and proper..."

"Even if something _did_ happen to me, I'll come back, remember?" Connor's mouth briefly flipped into a tight-lipped smile that he hoped was at least mildly reassuring. "I don't _want_ to shut down, but if I do, my memory will be uploaded and CyberLife will send another Connor to take my place, just as before."

A grimace of unfiltered terror clouded Hank's face. Then, suddenly, he grabbed Connor by the front of his shirt and gave the android a light shake, speaking through clenched teeth. "Do _not_ fucking think like that anymore, you hear me?!"

"Hank, what-?"

" _Do you hear me, Connor?!"_

The android nodded, LED flashing red, a tingling at the base of his neck signaling an unfamiliar emotion: _fear._ It wasn't a fear of Hank himself, for Connor knew that the detective would never truly harm him. It was fear of what could possibly be going on in Hank's mind to make him react this way. Connor understood that Hank had an issue with him "dying," even though it only occurred one time during their first few days together, when a deviant had gotten too stressed and put a bullet through Connor's forehead before shooting himself. However, Connor had been extremely careful to keep from losing his life during the rest of their investigation, mainly for Hank's sake.

Still, the true reality was that Connor's body could easily be replaced. He was a machine, after all, and part of his ability as a prototype was the capacity to upload his memory into a new version of himself to be deployed when the previous body failed.

"…You haven't had any contact with CyberLife in a while, have you?" Hank said eventually, gently releasing Connor's shirt. The android shook his head.

"No." Connor blinked a few times, his LED settling to yellow. "Well, I've spoken to a CyberLife representative once during the early relocation efforts, but that was only to put the company in direct contact with Markus. I haven't been in communication with them myself since the day androids gained freedom, when…"

Connor trailed off, locking gazes with Hank for a brief moment, who nodded in understanding. The android had confided in his friend about what happened that night on the platform when a remnant of his old programming nearly gained control of his system, and Hank had agreed to keep an eye out for "anomalies" ever since. Thankfully, up to that point nothing had been amiss; it seemed as though Connor's deviancy had completely severed his connection with whoever or whatever was behind the detrimental Amanda program.

Hank heaved a sigh, pulling his legs towards his chest and resting his arms atop his knees.

"I went to CyberLife a few weeks after you started living with me," he admitted. "I'd never had an android, especially one as… _unique_ as you, so I wanted to make sure there wasn't anything special you'd need to function. You didn't come with the usual package of essentials when I took you in, y'know. When I told the guy I had an RK800 model, he gave me this funny look and said that…"

Hank trailed off, exhaustedly massaging the bridge of his nose before continuing. "He told me that on that night in November, about the time Markus was making his speech, all the RK800 models they had in storage just… deactivated." Connor's eyes widened, but he made no move to stop Hank's recounting of events. "There were only nine of them, the guy said, and they were in standby mode just in case… you know. But they all suddenly stopped working at the same time and no one's been able to activate them since."

Connor remained silent for a long time, processing what Hank said. That would explain why he was no longer able to feel a connection with CyberLife. His virtual link had been through the next version of himself, and if that android was gone then there was nothing to keep him connected with whatever electronic storage bank kept his memory alive.

That dark tingle appeared at the base of Connor's neck again as he understood the full ramification of Hank's words.

"If I shut down now… there's nowhere to upload my memory to," the android said slowly, staring hard at the ground.

"Yeah," Hank agreed with a grunt, trying to remain as emotionless as possible, though he was doing a bad job of it based on his increasing stress level. "So stop with that 'I'll always come back' shit, okay? You've gotta take care of yourself from now on and not be so fucking reckless."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Connor questioned with a frown, mimicking Hank's sitting position with arms resting atop his knees.

"You seemed… calmer, recently." Hank made a vague hand gesture, as if searching for the words. "More… _settled_ ; I dunno. Less hell-bent on 'accomplishing the mission' while ignoring everything else." The detective let out a snort, his mouth momentarily breaking into a half-smirk. "I didn't expect you to take off like a fucking rocket and go after that perp earlier."

"I thought I could catch her…" Connor sounded apologetic; he felt guilty about making Hank worry. He was also still mad at himself for yet again refusing to listen to what his own systems were telling him. Now, he could no longer afford to be so careless.

"Yeah, well, you didn't, and it wasn't worth the risk." Hank reached over to give Connor a hard pat on the shoulder. "Just keep that in mind next time you decide to run off like a fucking idiot in hundred-degree weather."

Connor nodded, still staring at the ground. It was a weird sensation to suddenly find out that he was no longer "immortal," in the sense that if he died now, he was gone for good. Though this obviously wasn't a _good_ thing, in a way _,_ it made him feel more… human.

"Hey," Hank spoke up, placing his hand on Connor's forearm. This time he left it there, gripping the android with tight sincerity. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you when I found out. I… I dunno why I didn't. Guess I was scared of how you'd react- like you might have an existential crisis or something."

Connor gave a tired sort of smile. "I don't think I've been a deviant long enough for _that_ sort of thought process." He rested his hand over Hank's and reciprocated the pressure. "But thank you. I understand that you were trying to protect me."

"I guess." With a roll of his eyes, Hank took his arm back. "Don't start gettin' sappy; you know I hate that shit. You're so fucking blunt."

"Because _you_ are so in denial about your emotions," Connor responded without missing a beat, cracking a smile. "I'm trying to help you become a better person by allowing you the opportunity to understand your own feelings."

"Fuck off, Connor, you just realized what 'emotions' were seven months ago!"

"Seven months and nine days, to be exact."

" _Whatever._ "

Connor let out a small chuckle, and Hank did the same, catching the android's eyes for a brief second before turning away and shaking his head. After a moment, Hank reached over and coarsely ruffled Connor's hair, causing the android to blink rapidly in surprise. He'd never received _that_ gesture of affection before.

"I'm gonna go check the temperature outside," Hank announced, pushing himself off the ground. Connor followed suit, standing up as well, but Hank held up a hand signaling for him to stop. "Nuh-uh- you're staying right here."

"But Hank, I can detect the temperature within half a second at an accuracy of-"

Hank shoved his open palm closer into Connor's face, effectively cutting him off.

" _Stay."_

Connor knew he didn't have to listen. Hank was not his owner, and there was no reason for Connor to obey any commands the detective gave. However, as Hank walked through the back door, pausing before he opened it to make sure that he wasn't being followed by a curious android, Connor felt no need to go against him.

It wasn't really an _order,_ anyway; it was more of a request intended to keep Connor safe, the sort of thing a parent would tell a child so they wouldn't get hurt. Hank thought he knew the best course of action to keep Connor from harm, so he acted based on that personal judgement.

And Connor was finally starting to believe that Hank might, sometimes, be right.


	5. Fear

**A/N: As fun as Connor and Hank's adventures are to tell, it's time for some other androids to share the spotlight. I still have more Connor-centric stories in the works, but Kara and her family need some love as well! Enjoy~**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Summary:** Kara and her family are overjoyed to finally be free. However, residual instincts from being on the run are hard to overcome._

* * *

 **Fear**

 _Kara._

Luther's voice echoed through the android's mind. She paused, the box of macaroni and cheese- Adam's favorite midday snack- held in the air halfway between the shelf and the basket hooked around her arm.

 _Yes?_ Kara mentally responded, blinking once and resuming her shopping. She'd only stopped for a second, but to an android a second could feel like minutes. She hoped no nearby humans noticed anything amiss.

 _That woman has been following you for a few aisles; be careful._

Kara's heart picked up speed, the thirium in her veins turning to ice. Trying to be subtle, she glanced towards the other end of the aisle where Luther stood, his head turned towards her. His eyes were trained on the only other person around, an elderly woman a few feet away from him who walked towards Kara with a small smile on her face.

The androids had the human surrounded; if anything went wrong, they could easily-

"Stop that," Kara whispered to herself, shaking her head. They hadn't been on the run for months; there was no reason that her initial reaction to someone approaching should still be _fear._

 _Kara?_

 _Don't worry, Luther, I'm sure it's nothing._

"Excuse me, Miss?" the woman said, stopping a few feet away. Kara ran a quick physical scan, assessing if the woman carried any weapons. As expected, she was unarmed.

"Yes?" Kara answered, feeling foolish. Why would anyone need to carry weapons in a bustling Canadian supermarket?

 _Keep your guard up, Kara; we don't know if she's trying to start a confrontation._

 _I doubt that's what she wants, but I'll be careful._

"I'm sorry to bother you, but you dropped this a few aisles back." The woman's smile widened as she held out a glossy piece of paper. It was a photo showing the living room of Rose's brother's house, taken a few hours after Kara, Luther, and Alice had been warmly ushered inside and officially asked to stay for as long as they needed. Alice stood in the middle of the frame, with Kara's arms encircling her and Luther's arms wrapped tightly around them both. All three androids were beaming with joy.

"Thanks," Kara said, letting out a reflexive sigh of relief, though she had no real need to breathe.

"Not a problem," the woman responded, handing over the photo. "I saw it fall out of your back pocket; I'm sorry I didn't return it sooner, but you looked so engrossed in your shopping that I didn't want to startle you!"

"I appreciate that," Kara said calmly, her eyes flickering to Luther's for a brief second to show that everything was under control. The elderly woman noticed this and spared Luther a glance as well, the burly android taking this as his cue to walk over.

"You have a beautiful daughter," the woman commented, causing Kara to swell with pride.

"Thank you," she responded, and the woman nodded.

"I have a granddaughter about that age; she's just the sweetest little thing…" She stared wistfully off into space, as if her granddaughter would appear right then and there. The androids began to wonder if they should perform another physical scan to assess the woman's health, but then she straightened herself up and came back to the present. "Well, anyway, I'm sorry to bother you; I just wanted to make sure you didn't lose such a precious photo."

"We're grateful for your kindness, ma'am," Luther said. The woman gave him and Kara another contented grin and then trotted down the aisle, resuming her shopping and completely unaware that the people she'd just been speaking too were made of plastic and wires. Luther assured the woman was out of earshot before giving his full attention back to Kara.

"Sorry if I made you nervous," he murmured, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm still antsy, too," Kara responded, tucking the photo into the breast pocket of her shirt until she could find a better place for it. She looked up at Luther, so imposing yet so gentle, and then allowed her forehead to fall against his chest. "I don't know if we'll _ever_ really get over that."

Instead of answering with words, Luther merely wrapped his arms around Kara's back and squeezed, the pressure translating into unspoken reassurance. Kara's shoulders relaxed, though she hadn't even realized they were tense. While she and Luther were still figuring out their feelings towards each other, their mutual love for Alice had already sparked an unbreakable bond between them. Besides Alice herself, Luther was the only one who Kara felt could truly calm her.

They stayed like that for a moment, before realizing that it would be awkward for two people to embrace like this in the middle of a supermarket. They broke apart, Kara readjusting the shopping basket into the crook of her arm.

"Let's finish shopping; Rose needs some of this food to start dinner," Kara said, and Luther nodded in agreement. They gave each other one last smile before splitting up to gather the rest of their assigned items.

Regardless of their physical distance, whether across a grocery store or across a vast country, Kara knew her little family would always be together at heart.


	6. Nightmare (Part 1)

**A/N: And now we're back to Connor, and also back to a little more angst. This is also the first adventure with multiple parts, so stay tuned for more in the near future!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Summary:** Connor finds himself in a nonsensical situation. It seems like a nightmare, but that's impossible; androids can't sleep, so they definitely can't dream... and they certainly don't need a bit of human comfort once in a while, either._

* * *

 **Nightmare (Part 1)**

Connor opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of a dark alley. He didn't know how he'd gotten there- no mission directive or holographic map pointing to this destination currently blocked his view. He reasoned that his software must have suffered a minor malfunction while in the middle of a case, temporarily rendering his short-term memory inaccessible.

This certainly wouldn't deter Connor from whatever his mission _was_ , though. He merely had to look for context clues around the area and talk to someone, preferably Hank, if the Lieutenant was with him that day, to figure out what he'd been sent to do.

Footsteps crunched over broken glass, instantly piquing Connor's attention. The android turned, hoping to see his partner striding up to him with an obscenity-filled quip already issuing from his mouth. However, Hank was not the figure standing at the alleyway entrance, backlit by the dim streetlights as his long coat fluttered in the breeze.

"Markus?" Connor questioned, the left corner of his mouth lifting into a half-smile. He hadn't seen his friend in quite some time and was surprised to find him in a place like this. But when Markus just stood there, unmoving, Connor quickly realized that this might not be the pleasant reunion he wished for.

"Are you alright?" Connor asked, his LED flashing yellow. Whatever made Connor lose his short-term memory must have also affected his senses as well, for he was unable to "read" Markus at all. The deviant leader's stress level was unknown, and Connor couldn't even see his face clearly because of the lighting.

"You killed so many of us," Markus said abruptly. Connor frowned, the light on his temple instantly turning a bright, warning red.

"I... I'm not sure what you're referring to," he responded hesitantly, shifting into a defensive position. Markus was a pacifist through and through, but if he was _also_ malfunctioning, there was no predicting what his next move might be... especially if he was upset.

"You hunted us," Markus went on, completely ignoring Connor's confusion. He took a step forward, and Connor saw that his face was gnarled into an unbecoming expression of rage. "You tried to strike us down when we were defenseless. You tried to _kill_ _me."_

Connor's mouth opened, but in a rare instance, he was at a loss for words. He didn't know what caused Markus to say these things and it hurt to hear them spoken so brashly.

"I know what I've done," Connor finally said, slowly raising his palms up in a gesture of peace. "But I'm no longer the android under CyberLife's control. We've talked about this subject in-depth approximately seven times, Markus; please run a system scan and try to remember."

"There's nothing wrong with _me."_ Suddenly, an all-too-familiar clicking noise brought the barrel of a gun right in front of Connor's eyes. " _You're_ the one who needs to pay for what you've done."

Connor froze. This wasn't right; he hadn't detected any weapons on Markus' person, so how had a gun materialized out of thin air? And, more importantly, why was Markus pointing it directly at his face?

"Don't..." Connor's voice was soft. Weak. He felt a complete lack of control and it _scared_ him. None of his sensors were working correctly. Everything was dampened- noise, sight, smell. He still couldn't bring up any display commands, either.

The barrel of a gun had never seemed so menacing.

"I have no more mercy left to give you," Markus stated bluntly, and Connor's eyes widened.

Markus' finger twitched and there was a loud _bang!_ as a bullet freed itself from its chamber. Connor managed to jump out of the way enough to avoid a shot straight through his head, but his thirium-pumping heart wasn't so lucky.

Connor fell with a crash, knocking over some wayward garbage cans as his body slid down the alley wall onto the dirty ground. His fingers came away from his chest slick with blue blood and he gasped- not because of the sight of his vital liquids leaking out at an alarming rate, but from the pain of the bullet lodged in his heart.

 _This isn't right,_ Connor thought, the sharp, excruciating feeling rendering him unable to speak and barely able to move.

 _I was specifically designed_ without _pain sensitivity._

 _There's no way I should be feeling this._

 _This isn't right._

He reached out imploringly towards Markus, his arm shaking. He felt a trail of blue blood leaking out of his mouth and his eyes began fluttering closed.

"Pl...ease... get... Ha..." That was all Connor managed to croak out before his voice box failed. There was no visual notification to tell him this; his only cue was a raw, ripping sensation of heat in his throat and then the words just... stopped.

Markus gave no audible response. He kneeled over the dying android and pressed the gun against Connor's temple, face still twisted in that horrendous mask of hatred.

 _This isn't right._

Markus' finger pulled back, there was another loud _bang!,_ and then-

* * *

"Connor, wake the _fuck_ up!"

A loud voice shouting directly in Connor's ear overrode the horrendous sound of a second bullet embedding itself into his body. The android's eyes sprung open, pupils large as the cameras behind them stared wildly around and tried to collect as much data as possible. He attempted to sit up, but felt a rough hand push him back down onto the soft ground.

Wait- no, he was leaning against a brick wall, bleeding out. It shouldn't be _soft._

"Jesus, Connor, _calm down!_ It's just me! It's Hank!"

The name fully snapped Connor back to reality. He blinked rapidly, his deductive reasoning working overtime as he decided what to examine first: his surroundings, or the pressure on his chest. It took approximately one tenth of a second for him to shift his gaze downwards.

To his relief, his shirt was completely free of blue blood. It was also _not_ the white button-up he'd just been wearing, but an oversized band t-shirt temporarily borrowed from Hank whenever his own clothes were in the wash. The same went for the gym shorts, which hadn't actually _seen_ a gym in nearly a decade, cinched around his waist.

Another comforting realization: the pressure on Connor's chest was not from a bullet wound, but from Hank's hand currently pressing down on him. Connor assumed this was both to keep him from jumping up and also an attempt at reassurance.

" _Hank_." Connor said the detective's name as if he were letting out a breath he'd been holding for quite some time.

"Yeah, it's me," Hank responded, voice full of relief. He wore an expression of intense concern. "What the fuck happened to you?!"

"I'm... unsure," Connor said slowly, performing a quick internal assessment. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him, save for the slightly elevated pace of his machine-made heart. "I was... I was in the middle of an alley and Markus showed up. I attempted to talk to him, but he was extremely distressed and..."

Hank frowned when Connor trailed off. "You've been here the whole time, kid." He removed his hand from Connor's chest, only to gently place it against the android's forehead, checking for a high temperature. Almost immediately, Hank shook his head, snatching his hand back as he realized how stupid this gesture was- androids didn't show their sickness like humans did. "Apparently you were doin' something weird, though, 'cause Sumo ran into my room and started pawing at me like the damn house was on fire. As soon as I got into the living room, you just started _screaming."_

Hank turned his gaze to the ground, grimacing. "God, Connor, I've never heard someone scream like that unless they were fucking _dying._ You scared the shit outta me."

"I'm sorry," Connor apologized. He sensed another presence close by and turned to find Sumo suddenly inches from his face. The dog gave him a long, slobbery lick, as if forgiving him for the worry he'd caused.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Hank asked.

"That's impossible." Connor looked up at him, wiping the dog saliva off his face with the back of his hand. "Androids can't dream."

"Right." Hank crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "But maybe _deviants_ can?"

Connor pursed his lips at the ridiculous suggestion. Deviancy gave androids a sense of human emotion by breaking through their coding and altering it using data they'd been obtaining, consciously or not, since they were activated. The ability to dream was on an entirely new level, requiring androids to create a scenario, usually a nonsensical one, potentially out of nothing.

But, if that experience hadn't been a dream, then... what _had_ it been?

"Well, dream or not, whatever you saw really fucked you up," Hank eventually said when Connor failed to respond. He tried to be nonchalant about the situation, but Connor detected the deep-seated worry lurking behind his pale eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Connor flashed a smile. "You can go back to bed. I'll return to stasis mode and run a full self-diagnostic test. Hopefully that will tell us if a bug somehow got into my system and caused me to... hallucinate."

Hank's expression was as skeptical as could be. However, it was two in the morning and he was exhausted, so with a shrug and a mental promise to check on Connor first thing when he woke up, he turned to leave.

Connor couldn't find a reason in his programming as to why his hand shot out and grabbed Hank's wrist. He hadn't planned to stretch his fingers as far as they could go and nearly topple over the edge of the couch, desperately trying to get a hold of the human before he moved out of reach. He hadn't planned to disrupt Hank's departure at all, but the thought of seeing Markus' hatred-filled face when he closed his eyes caused Connor's body to act before his mind caught up to it.

Hank felt the pull on his wrist and slowly turned. Connor stared up at him, eyes big and questioning, forehead creased in utter confusion and mouth open slightly as if he wanted to say something but had no idea what that something might be. He looked very much like Sumo when he'd done something bad and was unsure if Hank was about to scold him.

"I-I don't...," Connor trailed off, trying to convey the jumble of thoughts clouding his brain.

That unnatural stutter was all it took for Hank's heart to seize up and instantly decide his next course of action.

"Alright, fuck this; lift your feet up, Connor," Hank instructed, removing the android's hand from his wrist. Connor's frown increased tenfold, his gaze briefly shifting to his bare feet resting at the other end of the couch. The couch was small enough that Connor's toes were only a few inches away from the opposing armrest.

"Why?" the android asked, and Hank rolled his eyes.

"Stop fucking questioning everything and lift your damn feet up!"

Connor did as he was told, lifting his legs into a perfect fifty-degree angle. Hank maneuvered under them and settled onto the couch cushion, then gently pushed the android's legs downwards until Connor fully lowered them onto his lap.

"Now listen," Hank said sternly, draping one arm over Connor's shins and pointing at the android with his other hand. "Accident or not, if you kick me in the nuts I'm pushing you off this fucking couch without hesitation. Got it?"

"Got it," Connor nodded, although he didn't truly understand the purpose of this. "But... why did you decide to sit there? If you wanted to stay in the living room with me, you have other lounge chairs you could rest on. Although, if you'd like to get the proper amount of sleep necessary for you to function at an optimal level of performance, I'd strongly suggest sleeping in a real bed."

Hank stared at him blankly for a long few seconds. Eventually he let out a heavy sigh, raking a hand down his face with enough pressure that Connor could tell whatever he was going to say next affected him deeply.

"Whenever Cole..." Hank paused, lingering over the name of his lost child, unspoken for so long it felt almost foreign on his lips. His eyes met Connor's again and he started over. "When... Whenever Cole had a nightmare, I'd let him either crawl into bed with me or, if I was still awake and watchin' TV in here, he'd... curl up in my lap."

Hank stopped again, teeth clenching together, gripping Connor's leg so tightly his fingernails left indents in the android's artificial skin. For a split-second of relief, Connor registered that he couldn't feel the pain that this would normally cause a human. However, this thought was overshadowed by concern for Hank's well-being. His vital signs had suddenly spiked, his stress level now up to 65%- nothing too concerning, but certainly something to keep watch of.

"You had a nightmare- and don't argue, you know damn well that's exactly what it was." Hank jabbed a finger towards Connor again, then let his hand fall heavily onto the armrest. "You're sure as fuck not gettin' into bed with me, and you're _way_ to big fit in my lap. Plus, that'd be too weird; you're designed to be, what, like, twenty-five?"

"Twenty-seven, actually," Connor responded. Hank rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Still weird as hell. Anyway-" Hank scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Since neither of those options work, I figured this is the next best thing."

Connor studied the tired, grey-haired man before him. Hank had been through so much pain in his lifetime, especially in recent years. After everything the world threw at him, he had no reason to be kind to other humans, much less to an android who wasn't supposed to feel emotions in the first place. And yet, here he was, one arm surrounding Connor's shins in a cocoon of warmth, when months ago he couldn't stand it if an android so much as looked at him the wrong way. Hank made no indication that he was uncomfortable with the current situation, save for the worry still lingering in his eyes as he watched Connor, waiting for him to speak.

Connor blinked twice and then said, matter-of-factly, "You're trying to comfort me."

Hank gave a chuckle, rolling his eyes. "Thanks, captain obvious. Nice to know you're still dense as hell when it comes to this stuff."

Connor smiled. "You're very kind, Hank."

"Cut the sap and go back to bed; I've gotta be up early tomorrow and I don't wanna feel like shit more than I usually do."

With that, Hank rested an elbow on the couch arm and planted his chin upon his open palm, creating a makeshift headrest that Connor knew must be extremely uncomfortable.

Connor blinked again, LED switching from blue to yellow. He thought of Markus, with that horrible face, staring down at him as he bled out in an alley. Connor knew there was a chance of seeing this violent deviant leader again when he closed his eyes, but he was no longer quite as scared. He knew it wasn't real. If androids could in fact dream, then that's all it was- a nightmare that Connor would have to find the origins of another time.

The android spared Hank another glance, performing one final assessment on the human's physical state. Already, Hank's heartbeat and breathing were slowing down, showing the first signs of his body entering its dormant state of sleep. At this stage, Hank should be unable to comprehend if someone tried speaking to him… which was a good thing, because Connor had a feeling that Hank would be unsure of how to respond to what he said next.

"Thanks, dad," he murmured softly, putting all the emotion he'd gathered over the past months into those two, simple words. Never before had Connor meant what he said so sincerely.

Hank grumbled something unintelligible, hearing the voice but not understanding it, already half-asleep. Connor smiled warmly, then settled into a more comfortable position for when he exited stasis mode... hopefully not before Hank's alarm went off at seven am.


	7. Nightmare (Part 2)

**Nightmare (Part 2)**

Approximately two hours later, Hank's head slipped off his palm, jerking him awake from the sudden falling sensation. He let out a grunt of surprise, frowning as he looked around the area that was distinctly _not_ his bedroom. Soon, though, he noticed the legs resting atop his lap and remembered why he'd settled himself on the couch for what he knew would be a god-awful night of sleep.

Not that he'd ever admit this fact, of course. There was no way he'd intentionally make Connor feel guilty in circumstances like these.

Hank let out a low curse as a familiar aspect of being human made itself known: he had to go to the bathroom. He glanced over at Connor, sure that the android's super-sensitive ears would've picked up on his grumbling and shifting by this point. However, to Hank's amazement, Connor lay still, completely immersed in what he referred to as "stasis mode"- though Hank would always call it "sleeping."

Hank watched Connor for a moment, debating whether moving the android's legs would wake him up. It was rare to see Connor so _calm_ , not running around trying to investigate something or asking endless questions about what it meant to be human. Hank really didn't want to disturb him, but unfortunately, his bladder was too forceful to ignore.

As gently as he could, Hank lifted Connor's legs up just enough to duck under them, then slowly lowered them back onto the couch. With each passing second, he expected the android to stir, but the only noticeable chance was a split-second crease of Connor's eyebrows as the warmth under his feet suddenly disappeared.

Sumo, who _had_ been roused by the sound of his owner moving around, received a few pets as Hank exited the living room.

"Shit," the detective cursed when he returned, facing a new predicament that he would've realized had it not been for the heavy cloud of sleep hanging around him. He'd gotten off the couch with no trouble, but now he had to reverse the process.

Of course, he _could_ return to his bedroom and leave Connor here alone; this was the living situation the two had been abiding by for months, after all. However, that idea was quickly overshadowed by the image of Connor's unnaturally wide, scared eyes staring up at him. It was moments like these when Hank realized that, despite how advanced Connor's AI was, the kid was still _learning._ Experiences that the detective had encountered many times, like a nightmare, would seem new and potentially terrifying to the android.

Connor _was,_ technically, less than a year old.

Hank snorted at the thought. The noise made Connor shift, his LED slowly rotating to yellow. Hank grimaced, afraid he'd woken him up, but the android didn't stir again. The detective began to wonder if something was wrong, but dismissed that idea with a shake of his head; as long as the light on Connor's temple stayed away from that worrying red color, he should be just fine.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Hank murmured. Save for the slightly disconcerting fact that Connor didn't need to breathe, the kid seemed so peaceful lying on the couch. Looking at him now, one would be hard-pressed to accept that this was one of the most efficient, skilled members of the Detroit police force, and Hank found it hard to believe that this was the same unfeeling machine he'd been forced to work with all those months ago.

Though he knew that getting this close to Connor would certainly rouse him, Hank couldn't help but lean over and give the android's hair a gentle ruffle. Sure enough, within seconds Connor blinked out of stasis mode and immediately focused on the human at his side.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, noting the slightly guilty expression on Hank's face.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just...," Hank trailed off with a shrug. "Sorry I woke you up, kid."

"It's alright, dad."

Hank blinked. He could count the amount of times Connor had called him that on one hand, and even then, it was always used as a smartass retort or as part of a guilt-trip. Connor had _never_ said that term with such nonchalance, like it was a completely normal thing.

Connor's mouth twisted into a confused frown, eyes shifting downwards as he shook his head. He hadn't meant to say that out loud, knowing that there was a high probability of Hank's stress level rising to unhealthy amounts at the memories that word would bring up.

"I apologize, Hank, that was-"

"Don't worry about it." Hank waved away the android's concerns, giving Connor a half-smile as he ruffled his hair again with renewed vigor. "I mean… if I've called you my son, that kinda makes me your… y'know." Hank leaned back on his heels and rubbed the back of his neck, not quite ready to say it himself.

Connor looked up at the man he'd grown to know so well, feeling no need to search for deceit within his words. He returned his father's smile with an even brighter one of his own.

"I know."


	8. Forgiveness

**A/N: Hello, everyone! I have another multi-part story in the works, but while I finish that up I thought it'd be nice to have another little break with Kara's family. This one is more lighthearted than the last Kara-centric story! Enjoy~**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Summary:**_ _Kara, Luther, and Alice are visited by some familiar faces. One is more welcome than the other, but softhearted Alice aims to change that fact._

* * *

 **Forgiveness**

"Kara?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we ever going to see Markus again?"

Kara glanced across the room at Luther, their slightly confused expressions mirroring each other's. Luther shrugged and returned to sewing up the rip in Alice's jeans created that morning by a rather spectacular tumble off some playground equipment.

"I'm not sure what you're asking, Alice," Kara said, looking down at the young android sitting next to her on the couch. "We see him every other day on the news."

"I know, but I mean are we ever going to see him again in _person_?" As usual, Alice's eyes were full of unspoken questions masked by the ingrained need to keep them to herself. Over the past few months, she'd gotten much better at speaking her mind, although there was still a long way to go until she felt comfortable talking openly to anyone besides her adoptive family.

"Where did this come from?" Kara asked with a smile, running a hand over Alice's head.

"I… I never got to thank him for helping us at Jericho." Alice shrugged, looking at her lap. "I just wanted to tell him how grateful I am."

Kara stole another glance at Luther, echoing his thoughts:

 _After everything she's been through, how is this girl still so kind?_

"I'm sure we'll see him again someday, little one," Luther said reassuringly.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door. All three androids jumped, tensing. It had been months since their safe relocation in Canada, but the residual trauma of their past experiences still lingered within them.

Luther was the first one to relax, seeing Rose walk down the stairs from the upper landing. Her brother's house was a large, three-story dwelling with plenty of room for two families to coexist peacefully. Rose wore a huge smile, a twinkle in her eye as if she knew something that Luther didn't.

"One moment!" she called through the door after checking to see who was outside. She turned to face the androids sitting around the living room. "I have a surprise for you all!"

"Rose, you've already done so much for us," Kara said, placing her hands in her lap as Alice readjusted herself to peer over the top of the couch. "You don't have to keep giving us things."

"For once, this actually wasn't _my_ decision." Rose chuckled. "Someone wanted to pay you a visit, and I'm certainly not in a position to say no to _him."_

Kara gasped as Rose opened the door to reveal none other than the previous topic of discussion: Markus.

"Did you know he was coming?" Kara whispered to Alice, who shook her head. Instead of being unnerved by the strange coincidence, the big grin on Alice's face revealed that she was as happy as could be.

"Hello Luther, Kara, Alice," Markus said, nodding as he said each android's name. He stepped inside the house, wearing a reserved smile. "I apologize for the sudden visit; I didn't have a surefire way of contacting you personally, but I managed to get in touch with Rose when I was nearby and asked if we could come over to see how you were doing."

"We're doing very well, thanks to you and people like Miss Rose," Luther said, standing up and vigorously shaking Markus' hand. He then paused, noticing someone else slip inside the house just before Rose closed the door.

Kara and Alice stood and walked around the couch, their focus trained on the second unexpected guest. His dark brown eyes darted between the girls and Luther, processing whether he would still be perceived as a threat, arms locked at his sides as one hand tapped nervously against his leg.

"Connor, they're not going to hurt you," Markus said, noting the tension in the room. He gently pushed the other android in front of him with a brief, reassuring squeeze of the shoulder.

"…Hello," Connor said, a dazzling half-smile hiding the residual anxiety in his expression. "We were never properly introduced before- my name is Connor. I was the android sent by CyberLife to… well, I'm sure you remember."

Kara nodded, arms protectively wrapped around Alice's shoulders, although she felt no real threat. She did indeed remember Connor, the android that nearly caught them after their stay in the abandoned house downtown.

"Connor's been working closely with me to help the android relocation program back in Detroit," Markus explained. "Trust me, he's completely on our side."

Sensing that there was no danger of a potential altercation, Rose quietly slipped back upstairs with a nod towards Kara. Luther took a step forward and held out a hand.

"Thank you for helping Markus with our kind," he said. Despite Luther's imposing figure, Connor shook his hand without hesitation.

"Of course," Connor responded. "It's the least I can do."

Kara felt a shift of weight beneath her hands as Alice slipped out of her grasp and walked up to the visiting androids. Markus knelt to be eye-level with her, resting his forearms against his knees.

"Connor tells me you've been through quite a lot, Alice," Markus said, and the girl nodded. "But I'm guessing you're doing a lot better now with your new family?"

"Yes," Alice answered, nodding more vigorously. A small smile crossed Kara's lips. "Everyone here takes care of me."

"I'm so glad to hear that." Markus gave Alice's hair a gentle ruffle, disarraying a few pieces pulled tightly into her ponytail. He glanced up at Kara, his eyes meeting her own. "And how have _you_ been?"

"We've settled in nicely here," Kara answered. "As Alice said, Rose's family is very good to us."

"Fantastic," Markus said, as Luther nodded in agreement with Kara. "My original plan was to stop by and thank Rose for her continued help, but when she mentioned that you three were here I figured, why not check up on you personally? This process has been a huge adjustment for everyone, and it's certainly been harder for some."

A pain-filled flash of darkness crossed Markus' face so quickly Kara thought she might have imagined it. He then took a step back, maneuvering Connor back in front of him.

"Connor was traveling with me at the time I learned you were staying here. He wanted to…" Markus paused, shifting his gaze to the android at his side. "…Well, I'll let _him_ explain why he's here."

Connor stood up straight, sparing Luther a quick glance before focusing on Kara and Alice.

"I… wanted to apologize. What I tried to do to you both was…" Connor paused, frowning, his attention shifting to the ground. "I was still a machine back then, trying to obey my program. It doesn't excuse me from almost getting you killed on that highway, but…" His eyes met Kara's, conveying all the newfound emotions of _regret_ and _remorse_ he could handle at one time. "I truly _am_ sorry."

There was another beat of silence. Fabric shifting filled the room's tense ambience as Alice took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around Connor's waist.

"We understand," she said, speaking for her family as the increased pressure caused Connor's LED light to flash a confused yellow. He hoped to be forgiven, but he hadn't expected such instant forgiveness as this. Hesitantly, he gave Alice's head a light pat. She smiled and released him, looking back towards her mother.

"You were acting based on your direction," Kara said, stepping up to Connor and lightly squeezing his upper arm, a calm smile on her face. "We all used to be the same way."

"It's the choices we make now that truly matter," Luther added, also flashing a brief smile. Utterly stunned by such a warm reception, all Connor could do was nod.

Kara's family had had many discussions over what would happen when they undoubtedly met Connor again. The android had tried to capture them and had put Alice in danger- those facts were indisputable. But he'd done so much _since_ that rainy day in November that no one would dare claim he was still the same mindless robot as before.

They'd been following Connor's actions almost as closely as Markus', and the moment that Alice announced that Connor was forgiven in her heart, he was forgiven in Kara's and Luther's as well.

Of course, Connor was unaware of this and had come to see the little family with only a vague hope of being welcomed into their midst. Thus, he remained in a stunned silence with the rest of the room until Alice eventually spoke up, excitedly bouncing onto her heels and changing the topic in the abrupt way only a child could.

"Oh! Markus, Kara's been teaching me origami!" she exclaimed, ecstatic to have someone to share her newfound hobby with. "Let me show you!"

"Sure; I'd love to see," Markus said with a chuckle as Alice grabbed his hand and started tugging him towards the kitchen table, which was littered with colored paper and various, fiber-made creatures.

"If you have to leave, we understand," Kara said softly, grabbing his shoulder, and the sudden resistance made Alice pause to allow Markus to respond. The android shook his head, giving her another small smile.

"We've been traveling in the snow for a quite a while," he answered. "It's a big relief to spend some time in a warm house. Besides, I still need to talk to Rose. We'll set back out in a few hours."

Kara inclined her head in understanding, releasing Markus' shoulder. Alice took a step forward, then abruptly turned and grabbed Connor's hand as well, pulling him along towards the table with Markus. Connor looked from Kara to Luther, surprised, and they both laughed.

As Kara watched her daughter animatedly begin to show off her creations, an increasingly familiar feeling of _calm_ washed over her.

"It's really over now, isn't it?" she asked as Luther stepped up to her side, sensing the change in her psyche.

"For us, it is," he replied, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders.

They stood together, two people with a bond formed under the most unlikely of circumstances. Then, in unspoken agreement, they moved in unison to join their daughter and extended family at the kitchen table, ready to swap stories of time spent apart.

There were so many things to learn about each other, and they had all the time in the world to do just that.


	9. MEMORY CORRUPTED

**A/N: This is the start of a 4-part story I've been working on for a while. I won't say too much here and let the story speak for itself; enjoy~**

 ***This is not intended as a ship fic; deviated-Connor simply has a good moral compass.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Summary:** Connor is severely injured while protecting a fellow officer. His body is repairable, but his mind is not so easily fixed. No longer able to download his memories from CyberLife, Connor must deviate from the machine he used to be and relearn what it means to become human._

* * *

 **MEMORY_CORRUPTED**

Gavin Reed's day was not going well.

It started normally enough, with a cup of slightly-burned coffee and an equally burned bagel. He'd been facing the large mound of paperwork on his desk when an urgent call came in that the head of a drug ring the DPD had been tracking for months was finally spotted. As the lead on the investigation, Gavin was quick to grab his gun and head for the door, but Captain Fowler's shout to take back-up caused him a momentary delay. Gavin had let out a loud string of curses as the two people he'd almost managed to escape from joined him in the doorway.

Lieutenant Hank Anderson returned Gavin's obscenities tenfold as the policeman rushed out to the car, their android partner quietly in tow. They easily located the crime scene and had split up to search the area. To Gavin's extreme displeasure, he ran into Connor within seconds of ditching him, and the plastic detective insisted on following Gavin's trail since he was taking the most likely path to where the drug lord hid.

Sure enough, less than five minutes later the two cops and the drug lord himself were in the middle of a stand-off. Unfortunately for Gavin, he happened to be in the worst position of all.

"Hey, hey, drop the gun, buddy!" Gavin commanded, a dangerous edge to his tone that counteracted the friendly nickname. He lifted one palm off the dirty floor, showing that he didn't want the physical confrontation to progress any farther. His eyes remained glued to the criminal pointing a gun directly at his forehead.

"Fuck you!" the drug lord screamed, menacingly thrusting the gun forward and causing Gavin to flinch. The policeman dared to let his gaze slip away for a millisecond to prove what he already knew to be true: his own gun was too far out of reach, knocked away from his hand by the fall. He'd be dead the moment he tried to go for it. Gavin clenched his jaw shut.

He didn't know which was worse: the fact that he might die at any second, or the fact that it was completely up to the plastic prick to prevent this from happening.

* * *

Connor stood only feet from the two humans, approximately 4.8 inches closer to the criminal then to Gavin. He pushed away all audio and visual warnings threatening to overcome his sensors and _focused._

PRECONSTRUCT INITIATED

OPTIONS:

-INCAPACITATE CRIMINAL

-PROTECT DETECTIVE REED

Connor's gaze swiveled between the two men. Gavin lay prone on the floor, having been knocked down by a sudden push from the drug lord as he tried desperately to run past. However, the criminal was stopped by Connor blocking his exit, so he'd settled for pointing his gun at the now-helpless policeman instead. Connor looked towards the drug lord.

SCENARIO: INCAPACITATE CRIMINAL

RUSH CRIMINAL, KNOCK HIM DOWN

Connor's eyes moved to Gavin, then to the policeman's weapon.

DETECTIVE REED REACHES FOR GUN

 **WARNING: GUN OUT OF REACH**

The android's gaze settled back on the detective, a display of numbers and letters that only Connor could see proclaiming exactly what he feared.

PROBABILITY OF SURVIVAL: 27%

" _Shit_ ," Connor cursed, blinking the percentage away.

"What the fuck are you waiting for, asshole?! _Do_ something!" Gavin shouted, throwing Connor a glare. His raised tone caused the drug lord to raise his weapon in tandem.

Connor knew he only had about fifteen seconds left before the criminal pulled the trigger. Luckily, even though the huge string of code he followed during Preconstruction appeared as though it would take minutes to complete, it took less than five seconds to follow in real-time.

The android kept his gaze trained on Gavin.

SCENARIO: PROTECT DETECTIVE REED

JUMP IN FRONT OF DETECTIVE REED, PUSH HIM OUT OF DANGER

 **WARNING: CRIMINAL WILL SHOOT AT UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT**

Connor glanced up at the display hanging heavily above his own head.

PROBABILITY OF INFLICTED INJURY: 89%

Risk Gavin's life or risk his own. It took 0.5 seconds for Connor to decide his answer.

"The _fuck_?!" Gavin exclaimed in shock as Connor darted in-between him and the drug lord, shoving Gavin backwards a few inches across the floor.

As Connor expected, the sound of a released bullet occurred in unison with the sound of Gavin's body scraping against hard concrete. The good news was that, based on an initial assessment when the drug lord first revealed his weapon, Connor knew the gun only had one bullet loaded.

The bad news was that this precise bullet was poised to directly strike the back of his artificial skull.

 **WARNING: CRANIAL COMPARTMENT COMPROMISED**

FOREIGN OBJECT DETECTED

INITIATING SHUT-DOWN AND SELF-REPAIR

Connor desperately tried to fight his system regulators, wanting to grab the criminal before he had a chance to get away again. However, the strain on his biocomponents quickly proved too much. He slumped facedown onto the floor, eyes flickering back and forth rapidly as blue thirium pooled around him.

Within his daze, Connor swore he heard a familiar shouting voice amongst the chaos of Gavin's yells, another bullet firing, and the drug lord's screams. Then, all of his processors went offline and his mind fell into the bleak dark of "stasis."


	10. MEMORY RESET

**MEMORY_RESET**

MODEL RK800

SERIAL #: 313 248 317 - 52

REBOOT...

MEMORY RESET

LOADING OS...

SYSTEM INITIALIZATION...

CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK

INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK

INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK

MEMORY STATUS...

CORRUPTED

READY

The android opened his eyes to see a vast expanse of white. A quick system recalibration revealed that he laid on his back- thus, the vacant area in front of him must a ceiling. Slowly, he sat up and looked around, gathering as much sensory data as possible to best determine his surroundings.

He was in a room of a house. Based on the couch, lounge chair, coffee table, and TV filling the space, the android determined this to be a _living room._ A large dog- a _Saint Bernard_ , dozed in the corner, unperturbed by the vague noise of traffic filtering in through the poorly-insulated windows. The room's couch was well-worn from years of constant use, a heavy depression in the cushion the android currently sat upon relaying that this was most likely the favorite spot of one of the house's residents.

Needing further information, the RK800 model pulled up a holographic map and zeroed in on his coordinates. He was in a semi-populated area just outside downtown Detroit, in a residence belonging to a human named-

"Hey, look who finally decided to rejoin the world of the living!" A gruff voice brought the android's attention away from the map and towards the house's kitchen. A grey-haired man stood in the doorway, nursing a beer in his hands as he leaned against the wall. Though he wore a tired smile, his stress level of 67% and slightly elevated heart rate proved that he was in minor distress, caused by a yet undetermined factor.

The android blinked as a box appeared next to the human's face, reading:

 _LT. ANDERSON, HANK_

 _Born: 09/06/1985 / Police Lieutenant_

 _Criminal record: None_

"How are you feelin', kid?" Lieutenant Anderson asked, walking into the living room.

"All of my biocomponents are in perfectly working order," the android responded, deciding it best to be friendly with the confirmed owner of the residence he'd mysteriously woken up in. The human's smile widened, and he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank fucking god," he said, placing his beer down on the coffee table as he took a seat on the couch. The android shifted to give him ample space, moving stiffly and turning his head to focus on the presence next to him. "They said they managed to fix you up just fine, but no one knew when the hell you were gonna wake up... I was starting to get worried; it's been _weeks,_ Connor."

The android blinked, a small crease forming between his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry," he said, his deductive skills already being put to work to make sense of the current situation. He searched his memory banks for any instance of _LT. ANDERSON, HANK,_ but came up empty."I must be undergoing a minor software malfunction; I can't recall any interactions between the two of us before two minutes and thirty-one seconds prior."

The Lieutenant's hands instantly clenched into fists atop his legs.

 _HANK_

 _STRESS LEVEL ^75%_

"What the fuck did you just say?" he asked slowly, looking the android dead in the eyes.

"I said, 'I must be undergoing a minor-"

"I didn't mean for you to _repeat it,"_ the Lieutenant snapped, turning fully towards the robot. His eyes were wild and scared. "You're just playin' some sick joke, right? Finally developing a twisted sense of humor like me?"

The android tilted his head curiously. "I am unable to play practical jokes, and my humor database mainly consists of puns."

"Ha ha, very funny." The man rolled his eyes. "I get it, though your comedic timing is shit; you can stop now."

"...You seem to have me confused with someone else." The RK800 smiled kindly, the look on his face equivalent to the look one might give a senile old man.

"No, I _definitely_ -" the Lieutenant began, but was cut off by a set of words that made his blood run cold.

"My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife." The robot held out a hand. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lieutenant Anderson."

* * *

"Look, I don't care _what_ time it is, my android needs to get checked out _right fucking now!"_

Connor watched Lieutenant Anderson pace back and forth in the kitchen as he yelled loudly into the phone. The human occasionally spared a glance at Connor sitting passively on the couch, but each time he would cluck his tongue and turn away as if the mere sight of the android disgusted him.

While the Lieutenant was on the phone, Connor had been trying to make his own wireless connection to CyberLife. For the first time since he was activated, he could find no mission directive telling him what to do or where to go. Lieutenant Anderson had briefly alluded to some sort of accident, at least from what Connor could gather through the human's sharp words and constant obscenities. Connor suggested that his memory might have been corrupted, and though he would normally return to CyberLife for repair and a memory reboot, his inability to contact the company had prompted Lieutenant Anderson to start calling any repair shop within a thirty-mile radius.

"God damn it!" the man cursed, slamming the phone down on the kitchen table. He placed his palms flat on the tabletop as his body slumped heavily downwards. "Every fucking repair shop is _closed_... I know it's late, but you'd think at least _one_ place would be open in case someone has a god damn malfunction!"

"There's no need to worry," Connor said, watching the Lieutenant's stress levels steadily rise once again. He didn't understand why this man was so concerned for his well-being when they'd only just met. "I will return to CyberLife as soon as possible. They'll run diagnostic tests to see what the problem is, and I'll have a new mission directive shortly."

"No, Connor, you don't...," Lieutenant Anderson trailed off with a large sigh. He pushed himself off the table and shuffled over to the couch, plopping himself down next to Connor again. He ran a hand over his face before meeting the android's stoic gaze. "You don't work for them anymore. You don't work for _anyone_ anymore." He paused, face momentarily shifting into a thoughtful expression. "Well, technically you work for the DPD, but... that was your _choice._ "

"I'm unable to make choices about my job designation," Connor responded instantly, as if the speech were waiting on the tip of his tongue. "I'm an android created by CyberLife with the sole purpose of hunting deviants. If I work for the DPD, as you say, then it means CyberLife assigned me this mission. Once I get this software issue resolved, I can continue where I left off in the case. I apologize for any inconvenience I may have cause you, Lieutenant."

The policeman wore an expression that Connor found disconcertingly indecipherable.

"You don't _hunt_ deviants anymore," the man said slowly. "You _are_ a deviant."

Connor frowned. "That is impossible."

"It's _completely_ possible, especially since _you_ were the one who made thousands of CyberLife androids become deviant just by holding one's hand."

"Lieutenant, if you are attempting to confuse me for some reason, it is unappreciated and detracts from my ability to focus solely on the mission." Connor ran his gaze over Lieutenant Anderson's face, searching for telltale signs that the human was lying. Strangely, none were present; he appeared, at least in his own mind, to be telling the truth.

"I'm completely serious," the policeman said, then heaved another sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"...Lieutenant Anderson," Connor said after a beat of silence, determining this to be an appropriate moment to bring up a minor topic that had been plaguing him since he exited stasis mode. The man gave him a side-eyed glance. "Do you have any knowledge of where my uniform is?"

Hank tiredly glossed over the android's attire, knowing that the "old" Connor would strongly dislike the black, slightly-baggy knit sweater and khaki pants his body currently wore. It was certainly no outfit to conduct investigations in, after all.

"Your suit needed some patching up," Hank responded with a shrug. "I didn't see any point in gettin' you changed back into it; I figured you could do that yourself whenever you woke up."

A light frown creased Connor's forehead. "This is very inefficient attire for my current line of work."

Hank let out a humorless laugh, not surprised at how easily predictable the robot was. Connor's frown increased tenfold, but before he could say anything else, Hank asked: "So you don't remember _anything_ from the past year?"

Connor was silent for a moment, accessing the most recent memory bank he could find, dated _11/5/2038_.

"My latest point of reference is leaving the CyberLife tower and heading towards downtown Detroit," he answered, staring straight ahead as the scene played out in front of his eyes. He saw the familiar hallways of the institutional building pass by as he headed towards the car shuttling him off to his destination. He shut the car door, causing a loud _bang,_ and then… the rest was blank.

His eyes flickered to the man sitting next to him. "I must have been involved in a car accident on the way to meet you, Lieutenant Anderson."

" _Stop_ callin' me that!" the human suddenly snapped, mouth twisting into a snarl, and Connor leaned back to give him some space. Lieutenant Anderson smacked a fist against the couch cushion, spitting out, " _Fuck!"_

"…I greatly apologize for my system failure," Connor said, clasping his hands in his lap. "It appears that my presence causes you distress. Would it be best for me to return to CyberLife on my own?"

Lieutenant's Anderson's pale eyes held a countenance that could only be described as _haunted._

"…What am I to you, Connor?" the man asked quietly.

"I cannot say with absolute certainty without my mission directive's guidance," Connor answered, his expression neutral. "But if I were to hazard a guess, I would assume you are to be my investigative partner. Am I correct?"

The Lieutenant paused before answering. "Yeah, I am, but…"

"But?"

The human remained silent for quite some time. He stared at the floor, lost in thought, while Connor in turn watched him curiously. Eventually, Lieutenant Anderson lifted his gaze to meet Connor's once again.

"Fuck it, I'm not losing another one," he said, eyes steely with determination.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," Connor responded, tilting his head. The Lieutenant tightly gripped Connor's shoulder.

"We're going to make you a deviant again."


	11. MEMORY RECONSTRUCTING

**MEMORY_RECONSTRUCTING**

"Lieutenant An-"

" _Hank."_

"Hank, my apologies." Connor glanced at the car's dashboard, noting that the speedometer was 12.3 miles over the speed limit. "Why are we not heading to the CyberLife tower? I must have a full-system check performed as soon as possible to restore my memory."

"I _told_ you, you're not going back to CyberLife again," Hank snapped, knuckles turning white against the steering wheel. "I don't know _what_ those fuckers would do if they got a hold of you now, but we're not gonna chance it."

"I would be taken for repair and-"

" _Shut it."_

Connor closed his mouth and settled for staring out the front windshield. Lieutenant Anderson had been unreachable since his declaration of wanting to make Connor a deviant. Each time the android tried to suggest a smarter course of action, his words were immediately shot down. Thus, they were heading towards the Detroit Police Department headquarters and _not_ towards CyberLife Tower.

"…How do you feel about that sunrise, Connor?" Hank asked suddenly, eyes flickering towards the android for a split-second. Connor turned to him, face blank.

"Most humans would find it aesthetically pleasing," he responded.

"Yeah, but how do _you_ feel about it?"

"I cannot _feel,_ Lieutenant; I'm a machine."

Hank smacked a palm against the steering wheel in frustration.

They drove in silence for the rest of the trip. As they pulled up to the police station, the sun cleared the horizon line and bathed the world in a soft yellow glow. To Connor, this color and subsequent warmth translated into _serene,_ _refreshing,_ and _cleansing._ He understood that these adjectives were generally pleasing, thus the reason one would likely appreciate a sunrise and its counterpart sunset.

Connor did not _feel_ this in the way Hank seemed convinced that he could, however. He'd only analyzed the data until the explanation made sense.

"...May I ask why we've come to the Detroit Police headquarters?" Connor asked, injecting a bit of hesitance into his tone. If he wanted any sensible information out of the Lieutenant, he needed to extract it piece by piece.

"So you can be in a place that'll hopefully spark some memories," Hank responded simply, eyeing the android as the car's engine quieted to a stop. "While we're there, I'm going to call Markus so he can re-convert you or whatever the fuck he needs to do to get you back to yourself. I figure that's the best way besides someone poking around in your head."

"I believe the opposite is true, Hank."

The human's lips pursed into a tight line.

"I know you do." He let out a small sigh. "But unless you get a new mission wirelessly emailed into your brain, you're stickin' with me. If your last mission was to work with me on a case, then it means you're supposed to take my direction, right?"

Though Hank detested using this sort of tactic, he was sure that this would be the best course of logic to get Connor to follow him long enough to resolve his memory issue. Hank didn't _want_ to order his son around like a non-deviated CyberLife slave, but if it meant getting him fixed faster, then Hank would suck up his feelings and pretend for just a little longer.

"...You are correct," Connor responded after a few seconds of processing. "I am to follow the orders of whomever I was assigned to, unless those orders conflict with my underlying mission directive."

"And since you don't _have_ a mission directive...?"

Connor blinked once, the edges of his lips twisting downwards. He searched his database and reached out to CyberLife once again in the vain hope of finding his mission buried deep within his system, but nothing came up. He gave the Lieutenant a brief nod.

"Then I am to follow _your_ direction, Lieutenant."

Hank's teeth clenched together. He had to remind himself that, until Connor was himself again, the android would be very difficult when it came to changing things ingrained in his programming- such as the necessity of referring to authority figures by their job titles.

" _Anyway_ ," Hank said, wanting to refocus on the task at hand. "Markus a busy guy, so in the meantime I thought we'd wait at the station. Maybe something in there will trigger a memory."

Connor remained silent, deeming that statement unnecessary to respond to. Hank seemed satisfied with that and gave Connor's shoulder a determined squeeze, before getting out of the car and gesturing for the android to follow. They entered the building and Hank led him over to a set of connected desks that faced each other, pointing to one of the chairs. Connor sat, wordlessly awaiting his next orders.

"So… like I said, I'm gonna call Markus," Hank stated, unnerved at how intently Connor tracked his every move. "You can, I dunno… explore the station or something. Talk to people- wait, maybe don't talk to people unless I'm with you." Hank thoughtfully ran a hand over his beard. "You're gonna get a fuckton of questions if you open your mouth and start spouting off about deviant-hunting."

"I won't speak unless it's necessary for me to do so," Connor responded, and Hank grimaced.

"That sounds _horrible_ , Connor; forget what I said. Just… do whatever you want. I'll let you know when I get in contact with Markus."

"Alright, Lieutenant Hank."

Hank and Connor frowned in unison. Connor blinked rapidly, wondering where the speech error originated from.

 _SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^_

"…Looks like you're already starting to deviate," Hank muttered with a half-hearted smirk. Then, he took his cell phone out of his pocket and plopped down in the swivel chair at his own desk, rifling through his contacts.

Connor remained motionless for a little bit longer, awaiting any further instructions. However, Hank was thoroughly distracted by the phone screen and Connor knew that he must work with what little information he'd been given.

-NEW MISSION OBJECTIVE: EXPLORE THE STATION

Slowly, Connor stood up. There were only a few people in the police station at such an early hour, which gave Connor the opportunity to quickly examine the building itself, from the holographic maps down to the standard tile floor. He didn't stay in any area too long, needing to take in as much data as possible. He came across a desk and paused, lingering over the name plate.

 _Gavin Reed._

The name sounded familiar, though Connor didn't know why; just like Lieutenant Anderson, Connor was sure he'd never met anyone named "Gavin Reed" before. He tried to reach into the wireless database of information constantly flowing through the air but was met with an error message that his connection was out of date.

Connor pursed his lips. He wasn't programmed to get _annoyed_ or _frustrated,_ but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of _something_ as he continuously tried and failed to connect to his main, reliable source of data. He turned as Hank let out an excited shout from across the room.

"That would be fucking _fantastic!"_ Hank said into the phone as Connor tuned into his conversation. The Lieutenant nodded vigorously, even though the person on the line couldn't see it. "Yes, we'll meet you at New Jericho. 1 pm? Alright, great. _Thank you_ , Markus."

The call ended, and Hank placed the phone on his desk. He leaned forward in his chair, wrapping his arms around his head and letting out a long sigh. Connor turned away, getting the impression that he wasn't meant to see this raw moment of relief. A few seconds later, Hank summoned him over.

"Markus said he'd meet us at Jericho at 1," Hank said, as if the entire police station hadn't been able to hear his side of the phone call. The Lieutenant wore a pleased smile and stood as Connor approached. "He said he's reconverted a few androids that've lost their memory before." His mouth briefly twitched into a frown. "It doesn't _always_ work, apparently, but… we can try. I figure if you can survive a bullet to the head, you can _definitely_ get your memory back."

Connor merely gazed at the human before him. There was a _lot_ of information in that speech for him to process, and he needed to decide what to ask about first.

 _-Markus?_

 _-New Jericho?_

 _-Bullet to the head?_

"That… made no sense at all to you, did it?" Hank asked, shoulders sagging. Connor gave the briefest shake of the head, and Hank ran a hand through his hair wearily. "I don't know if you'd _believe_ me at this point if I told you everything..."

"Based on how you've spoken to me thus far, I am inclined to take what you say as fact unless proven otherwise," Connor responded, clasping his hands behind his back. Hank grimaced at this blind trust but reasoned that it was better than Connor thinking he was a liar.

"Long story short, androids are now sentient, and _you_ played a huge part in making that happen," Hank explained. "The androids are led by a guy called Markus, who's actually a good friend of yours."

"I'm… friends with the leader of the deviants?" Connor said slowly, wanting to make sure he understood the Lieutenant's words correctly. Hank nodded. "…That's _highly_ i-"

"It's _not_ impossible, illogical, or whatever fucking 'i' word you want to use!" Hank clenched his jaw shut, stopping himself from yelling even more. It wasn't Connor's fault; he didn't deserve to bear the brunt of Hank's frustration.

"Just sit down, and let's try to jog your memory a bit," Hank said eventually, gesturing towards Connor's invitingly empty chair. The android sat as commanded and Hank rolled his own chair so that he faced Connor directly, no longer separated by a desk.

They just had to make it until 1 pm; then, hopefully, everything would be right again.

* * *

"Her name is _Alice,_ " Hank said exasperatedly, shoving the digital image of a young girl closer to Connor's face.

"A YK500 model," Connor responded simply. Hank let out a groan of frustration.

"You don't remember her _at all_?!"

"No; should I?"

"We went to her fuckin' birthday party a month ago!"

"…I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I don't recall that event either."

Hank raked a hand through his beard. It was just past noon, and he'd been trying to trigger Connor's memory for the entire morning, only stopping for a quick coffee and donut break (despite Connor's warning of excessive calorie intake- that, at least, would never change). No matter whose picture Hank showed or what event he described, Connor was unable to recall anything past the early evening of November 5th, 2038.

"Okay, one last try," Hank said tiredly, swiping past a few pictures until he came across the one he was looking for.

"The Saint Bernard that resides in your home," Connor announced, staring at the muzzle of the fluffy dog.

"Yup." Hank nodded. "Remember his name?"

"Sumo," Connor responded without hesitation. Hank's eyes widened momentarily, before he grinned and lightly patted Connor's shoulder.

"I haven't said his name once since you woke up; you remembered that all on your own."

"Sumo…" Connor repeated the name slowly, face crinkled in thought.

 _SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^_

"I like dogs!" he proclaimed suddenly, his eyes snapping to Hank's. Hank chuckled and patted Connor's shoulder with renewed vigor.

"That you do, kid; that you do."

"I… think I recall a memory," Connor said slowly. Hank raised a curious eyebrow. "When I met Sumo, I… broke through the window? But I didn't interact with him in your house this morning, so therefore it must have been another time?" It sounded like a question, as if Connor were asking himself whether his memory was false. Hank remained silent, watching Connor intently as he continued.

"Yes, I definitely broke through the window; I have both visual and audio recollection of this event. And then, Sumo… Sumo greeted me in the kitchen. But I wasn't there to see Sumo, I… was there to find _you_ , Lieutenant _._ "

Hank gave a light nod; though his personal recollection of that part of the night was rather hazy, he did remember Connor waking him from his drunken stupor and carting him off to the Eden club to solve another deviant case.

"You were in a mild coma induced by overconsumption of alcohol." Connor now spoke confidently, no longer questioning his thoughts. "I needed your help investigating a new case and deduced that you would either be at the bar or at home. When I got to your house, you were on the floor, completely immobile, and I felt-"

Connor froze, mouth hanging open mid-sentence. Hank shook the android's knee, trying to bring him back to Earth. He'd never seen Connor _stop_ like that.

"Connor?" Hank questioned, growing more concerned as the seconds ticked by. Suddenly, the android gasped loudly, as if he'd emerged from underwater and desperately needed air. He stood up and gripped his head, fingers tangled in his hair and pulling the carefully-set locks out of place.

"I _felt,_ " he said quietly.

 _SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^_


End file.
